Film tucking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Film tucking apparatus comprises a conveyor platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform. Pivotally movable with respect to the platform are a pair of tucking arms, one at each side of the article. These arms overlie the film wings and are pivoted to upward position permitting the article to be fed over the platform and to a position between the elevated arms and platform. The arms are lowered into contact with the film wings and the tucking arms are moved toward one another to sweep the film wings beneath the article. An elevator is provided beneath the article to lift it up during closing motion of the tucking arms.

United States Patent 1 Zimmerman et a1.

1 1 Sept. 30, 1975 1 1 FILM TUCKING APPARATUS [751 Inventors: Thomas C. Zimmerman,

Franksville; Charles E. Michels, Racine. both of Wis.

[73] Assignee: Robert Bosch G.m.b.H., Stuttgart.

Germany [22] Filed: May 2, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 466,112

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 290.664, Sept. '25.

1972. Pat. No. 3.816.969.

[52] US. Cl 53/206; 53/226 [51] Int. C1. B65B 11/48; B65B 49/08 [58] Field of Search 53/206. 210. 226, 229. 53/378 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.821.822 2/1958 Mapcs 53/163 X 2,917,885 12/1959 Stremke 53/206 2.926.473 3/1960 Ryland 53/206 X 2.975.572 3/1961 Wertheimer. 53/206 3.016.671 l/l962 Stremkc 53/206 3.371.466 3/1968 Klopfenstein 53/206 3.378.990 4/1968 Ryland 53/206 3.429.098 2/1969 Treiber... 53/210 X 3.505.780 4/1970 Hansen 53/210 3.537.235 11/1970 Pepmeier.... 53/210 X 3.662.513 5/1972 Fahbri 53/226 X Primary E.\aminerTravis S. MCGehee Assistant E.rmniner-John Sipos Attorney. Agent, or FirmMichae1 S. Striker 7 ABSTRACT Film tucking apparatus comprises a conveyor platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform. Pivotally movable with respect to the platform are a pair of tucking arms, one at each side of the article. These arms overlie the film wings and are pivoted to upward position permitting the article to be fed over the platform and to a position between the elevated arms and platform. The arms are lowered into contact with the film wings and the tucking arms are moved toward one another to sweep the film wings beneath the article. An elevator is provided beneath the article to lift it up during closing motion of the tucking arms.

15 Claims, 33 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,908,337

NE 0mm KN QM MK 60m NM US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f3' 3,908,337

In I 6 I Illll w a I US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3 3,908,337

FILM TUCKING APPARATUS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 290,664 filed Sept. 25, 1972, now US. Pat. 3,816,969 granted June 18, 1974, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the tucking apparatus by which laterally extending film wings are tucked beneath an article which is supported on a conveyor platform. Several embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In all embodiments the platform is provided with an elevator which lifts the article slightly as tucking arms sweep the laterally extending film wings beneath the article in the course of wrapping it. In some embodiments the conveyor platform consists of interrupted roller conveyor sections having a central gap or well in which an elevator paddle is disposed. In other embodiments, the conveyor rollers are continuous and the elevator comprises lift pins which project upwardly between the spaces between adjacent rollers. Mechanism actuated in timed relation to the operation of the wrapping machine sequentially actuates the tucking arms, elevator and a pushoff plate to process the articles through the tucking apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. lare illustrated and described in said copending US. Pat. 3,816,969.

FIG. 26 is a plan view of another embodiment of film tucking apparatus incorporating the invention.

FIG. 27 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a fragmentary front elevation of the embodiment of FIGS. 26 and 27, after the tucking arms have been lowered into engagement with the laterally projecting film wings.

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 28 and showing a later step in which the elevator lift pins have lifted the package and the tucking arms are beginning to sweep the film wings beneath the package.

FIG. 30 is a fragmentary front view similar to FIGS. 28 and 29 and in which the tucking arms have completed their sweeping motion.

FIG. 31 is a fragmentary side view, partly in cross section. showing parts of the apparatus shown in FIG. 26 with the parts in substantially the same position shown in FIG. 27.

FIG. 32 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG. 31 but in which the parts are shown in their positions illus- 'trated in FIG. 28.

FIG. 33 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIGS. 31 and 32 but in which the parts are shown in their positions illustrated in FIG. 29.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The entire disclosure of said copending US. Pat. No. 3,816,969 is incorporated herein by reference. With respect to some of the claimed subject matter hereof, attention is invitedpanicularly to FIGS. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 22 of the said copending patent and to the description relating thereto.

Newly disclosed subject matter of this application appears in FIGS. 26-33, inclusive.

Parts in FIGS. 26-33 which correspond to like parts in FIGS. 1-25 are given the same reference characters.

In the embodiment of the tucking apparatus shown in FIGS. 14-17, inclusive, the conveyor rollers 144 of platform 35 are interrupted axially to provide a gap 145 which functions as a well for the elevator lift blade or paddle 146. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 26-33, the conveyor rollers 300 of platform 35 are similar to rollers 144 of the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, except that rollers 300 are axially continuous. These rollers are, however, spaced laterally one from the other with spaces 301 therebetween. As in the previously described embodiment, the rollers 300 are undriven and constitute a platform 35 upon which the partially wrapped package 27 with its laterally projecting film wings 137 is fed during operation of the wrapping machine. A pair of tucking arms 147 are mounted along the rear edge of the conveyor platform 35. The arms 147 have hubs 152 threaded to receive the lead screw powered by the chain 151, as in the previously described embodiment.

In lieu of the elevator paddle 146 of FIGS. 14-17, the tucking apparatus embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 26-33 is provided with elevator means comprising lift pins 302. The pins 302 are arranged in two rows or series. each mounted on its own bar 303 beneath the conveyor platform rollers 300.

Pins 302 are provided with heads 304 which are small enough to pass through the spaces 301 between adjacent rollers 300. The heads 304 engage the underside of the partially wrapped article 27 to lift the article above the level of the tucking arms 147 as shown, for example, in FIG. 33.

Each bar 303 is mounted for axial movement along the rollers 300 on guide rods 305, 306. The respective guide rods 305, 306 are located beneath the rollers 300 and are mounted for arcuate swinging movement on paired swing links 307, 313. Swing links 307 for rod 305 are pivoted to frame 309 on pintles 308 (FIGS. 26 and 32). Swing links 313 for rod 306 are pivoted to frame 309 on pintles 312 (FIG. 26). Swing arms 307, 3 I 3 are interconnected for parallelogram swinging action of the guide rods 305, 306 by cross link 314. As best shown in FIGS. 26 and 31, cross link 314 is pivotally connected by pin 315 to crank arm 316 which is fast to one pintle 308 which in turn is fast to its swing link 307. The corresponding swing link 319 (FIG. 26) at the other end of slide rod 305 is pivotally connected to frame 309.

The other end of cross link 314 is pivotally connected to a bell crank 317 which is fast to the end 197 of pintle 312 which carries the rear cross guide rod 306 on swing link 313. An actuating link 318 is also pinned to bell crank 317. As shown in FIG. 33, actuating link 318 has a cam follower roller 321 which follows a cam 322 on line shaft 38. Accordingly. the lift pins 302 are raised and lowered simultaneously in time with operations of the machine in accordance with the rotation of line shaft 38 and the various cams attached thereto.

Pin bars 303 are slidably guided along the front guide rod 305 by hooks 323 which function as slide bearings on which the front ends of pin bars 303 can move axially along the conveyor rollers 300. The hooks 323 constrain the bars 303 to rise and fall in accordance with the movement of the link 318 acting on bell crank 317. The rear ends of the pin bars 303 are fastened as by welding to sleeves 324 through which extends the rear guide rod 306. Sleeves 324 are slidable axially along the rod 306.

Sleeves 324 are coupled by motion transmitting connections to the tucking arms 147 so that motion of the arms 147 axially along the rollers 303 will be transmitted to the bars 303 and hence to the lift pins 302. As in the previously described embodiment, the tucking arms 147 are provided with sector plates 198 which extend from their hubs 152. The sector plates 198 have teeth which mesh with the teeth 192 on splined shaft 193. Accordingly, rotation of the splined shaft 193 will raise and lower the tucking arms 147 as described in connection with FIG. 22. Splined shaft 193 is also engaged by the teeth on sector crank arm 195 (FIGS. 22, 26 and 31) which is free to rotate on end 197 of pintle 312 and which is fast to crank arm 223 which is pivotally connected to the actuating link 222. Accordingly, up and down motion of link 222, as shown in FIG. 22 and in FIG. 31, will be effective to raise and lower the arms 147 through the geared interaction of toothed sector plates 195 and 198 with splined shaft 193.

As in the previously described embodiment, the tucking arms 147 are moved axially along the conveyor rollers 300 by means of the lead screw 150 which engages the threaded hubs 152 of the arms 147. The threads over one-half the length of screw 150 are pitched oppositely to the threads along the other one-half the length of screw 150.

In the present embodiment, each hub 152 is additionally provided with a carrier arm 325 which is spaced axially with respect to the sector crank arm 198. Each corresponding pair of axially spaced sector crank arms 198 and carrier arm 325 loosely embraces a carrier follower which comprises a hook 326 which is loosely looped around the splined shaft 193 and is fastened to a sleeve 327 slidable on the rods 306. Sleeves 327 and 324 are axially spaced on the rods 306 and are connected by the coil springs 328.

The hook 326 does not fill the space between the carrier arms 198, 325. Accordingly, the aforedescribed arrangement provides for lost motion connection between the tucking arms 147 and the straps 303. The springs 328 provide a yieldable connection between the hooks 326 and the straps 303. Moreover, as is clear from FIG. 33, the hook 326 can back away from the splined shaft 193 when the pins are lifted, without losing engagement therewith.

The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 26-33 is similar to the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, except that the elevator pins 302 and tucking arms 147 are independently actuated, although in timed sequence. In this embodiment link arm 222 raises and lowers tucking arms 147 and link arm 318 raises and lowers the pins 302. The actuating sequence is timed by reason of the actuation of all of the parts through the line shafts 38, 47.

Moreover, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2633, the lift pins 302 can be widely spaced for wide packages and narrowly spaced for narrow packages by reason of the slide couplings of the pin bars 303 with the guide rods 305, 306 and the lost motion couplings between the pin bars 303 and the tucking arms 147.

The embodiment of FIGS. 26-33 also includes a package hold-down arm mounted on a stationary pin 333 and has a lifting portion 332 pivotally connected by link 334 to a cam follower 335 actuated by cam 336 on line shaft 38.. Arm 331 has a Teflon coated finger portion 337 which engages the top of the article 27 to hold the package against dislocation during the sweeping motion of the sweep arms 147. Cam 336 is timed to lower the holddown finger onto the article 27 before the tucking arms 147 sweep thereunder and to lift the finger before the pushoff arm 155 is actuated.

In operation, package 27 with extending film wings 137 is advanced to the illustrated position in FIG. 27 at which point of time the arms 147 areelevated and the elevator fingers 302 are retracted downwardly. Cam operated link actuator 222 then turns splined shaft 193 to lower arms 147 in the direction of arrows 148, as in FIG. 28, toward the position of the parts shown in FIGS. 28 and 32 in which the tucking arms 147 engage the film wings 137. The next step is for the cam 322, as shown in FIG. 33, to lift the pins 302 to their position raising the package 27 as shown in FIGS. 33 and 29.

Chain 151 will now be actuated to turn the lead screw and cause the arms 147 to move toward each other and start to sweep the film wings underneath the package 27.

As the tucking arms 147 sweep beneath the package 27, meanwhile having picked up the follower hooks 326, to also move the straps 303 for the pins 302 toward one another, the cam 322 will have-rotated to a point beyond that shown in FIG. 33 and the pins 302 i will drop to their position shown in FIG. 30, thus to be clear of the package. When the film wings 137 are fully tucked beneath the article 27, cam 3 36 on shaft 38 (FIG. 2) will lift the hold-down finger 337 to a position clear of the package 27 as shown in FIG. 30, whereupon the pushoff plate 155 may now push the article 27 from conveyor platform 35 onto conveyor platform 37, as shown in FIG. 12.

We claim:

1. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, said film wings being thus disposed between said arms and said platform, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means with respect to the platform to lift the article above the platform and open a narrow space between the platform and article into which the film wings may be swept and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other into said space to wipe the film wings along the platform and the article and sweep the film wings beneath the article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the platform comprises interrupted conveyor rollers having a gap, said elevator means comprising a lift arm disposed in said gap. l

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the platform comprises laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers.

331 which is pivotally' 4. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said platform comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers, said elevator means further comprising paired arms below the conveyor rollers and upon which said lift pins are mounted, guide means for the paired arms of the elevator and motion transmitting connec tion between the tucking arms and the paired arms of the elevator means whereby said paired arms are moved along their guide means as a consequence of motion of the tucking arms.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said motion transmitting connections comprise lost motion connections.

6. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said platform comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers, said elevator means further comprising paired arms below the conveyor rollers and upon which said lift pins are mounted, the means for raising said elevator means comprising linkages connected to said paired arms and means for actuating said linkages in timed relation to the means for advancing the tucking arms toward each other.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with an article hold-down arm and means to actuate said arm in time with said tucking arms.

8. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said tucking arms having threaded hub sockets, the means to advance said arms toward each other comprising a lead screw threaded through said sockets.

9. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said tucking arms having hubs with toothed crank arms extending therefrom, a splined shaft engaged with the teeth of said crank arms and means for rotating said splined shaft to raise and lower the tucking arms with respect to the platform.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for raising the elevator means comprises a toothed crank arm engaged with said splined shaft, for concurrent action of the elevator means and tucking arms.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for raising the elevator means comprises linkage and means actuating said linkages independently of the splined shaft.

12. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, and motion transmitting connections between the elevator means and the tucking arms, whereby motion of the tucking arms toward and away from one another will be transmitted to the elevator means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said motion transmitting connections comprise lost motion connections 14. The apparatus of claim 13in which said lost motion connections comprise spaced carriers on said tucking arms, said elevator means comprising a follower finger disposed between said carriers, whereby to be loosely captivated therebetween.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in combination with means for raising and lowering said tucking arms and including a splined shaft and a toothed crank arm interconnecting a tucking arm and said splined shaft, said follower comprising a hook at least partly around said splined shaft, one of said carriers comprising one of said toothed crank arms for a tucking arm at one side of the hook and the other said carrier being spaced therefrom axially along said splined shaft and at the other side of the hook.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,908,337

DATED September 30, 1975 |NV ENTOR(S) Thomas C. Zimmerman and Charles E. Michaels It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Title page:

change line [73] to delete "Robert Bosch G.m.b.H, Stuttgart, Germany" and substitute Reliance Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio change Attorney, Agent or Firm to delete "Michael J. Striker" and substitute Joseph P. House, Jr.

Signed and Scaled this A ttest.

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner oflarents and Trademarks 

1. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, said film wings being thus disposed between said arms and said platform, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means with respect to the platform to lift the article above the platform and open a narrow space between the platform and article into which the film wings may be swept and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other into said space to wipe the film wings along the platform and the article and sweep the film wings beneath the article.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the platform comprises interrupted conveyor rollers having a gap, said elevator means comprising a lift arm disposed in said gap.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the platform comprises laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers.
 4. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said platform comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers, said elevator means further comprising paired arms below the conveyor rollers and upon which said lift pins are mounted, guide means for the paired arms of the elevator and motion transmitting connection between the tucking arms and the paired arms of the elevator means whereby said paired arms are moved along their guide means as a consequence of motion of the tucking arms.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said motion transmitting connections comprise lost motion connections.
 6. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said platform comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers, said elevator means comprising lift pins disposed in the spaces between rollers, said elevator means further comprising paired arms below the conveyor rollers and upon which said lift pins are mounted, the means for raising said elevator means comprising linkages connected to said paired arms and means for actuating said linkages in timed relation to the means for advancing the tucking arms toward each other.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with an article hold-down arm and means to actuate said arm in time with said tucking arms.
 8. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said tucking arms having threaded hub sockets, the means to advance said arms toward each other comprising a lead screw threaded through said sockets.
 9. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, said tucking arms having hubs with toothed crank arms extending therefrom, a splined shaft engaged with the teeth of said crank arms and means for rotating said splined shaft to raise and lower the tucking arms with respect to the platform.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for raising the elevator means comprises a toothed crank arm engaged with said splined shaft, for concurrent action of the elevator means and tucking arms.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said means for raising the elevator means comprises linkage and means actuating said linkages independently of the splined shaft.
 12. Film tucking apparatus comprising a platform for a partially wrapped article having film wings extending beyond both sides of the article and overlying the platform, paired tucking arms, one at each side of the article and overlying said film wings, article elevator means, means for raising the elevator means to lift the article and means for advancing said tucking arms toward each other and beneath the lifted article to sweep the film wings beneath the article, and motion transmitting connections between the elevator means and the tucking arms, whereby motion of the tucking arms toward and away from one another will be transmitted to the elevator means.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said motion transmitting connections comprise lost motion connections.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said lost motion connections comprise spaced carriers on said tucking arms, said elevator means comprising a follower finger disposed between said carriers, whereby to be loosely captivated therebetween.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 in combination with means for raising and lowering said tucking arms and including a splined shaft and a toothed crank arm interconnecting a tucking arm and said splined shaft, said follower comprising a hook at least partly around said splined shaft, one of said carriers comprising one of said Toothed crank arms for a tucking arm at one side of the hook and the other said carrier being spaced therefrom axially along said splined shaft and at the other side of the hook. 